Late Spring and Summer 2010
We've had quite an eventful Spring and Summer. Our biggest news was that we found out we are expecting another baby. Baby Hammel is due to make an appearance on December 2nd. Henry didn't understand it at first, but he now knows that the baby is in my belly. I can tell his little mind is thinking about this baby thing. "Does your belly crack?" and "It comes out your mouth?" are a few of the unanswered questions I've gotten from him. A few months before that I told him to watch out for mommy's belly because there is a baby inside...his response..."Open it". Lately, Henry has been singing Braham's Lullaby to my belly every night and asking if the baby is sleeping. I think he is going to be a great big brother. In May, we went to the Lebanon Fire Department open house. Henry loved the fire engines and medical helicopter. He even rode the fire truck with daddy and cousin Skylar. Firemen run deep in the family...Grandpa, Uncle Scott, and Uncle Jeff are all volunteers. A week later, Cousin Danielle came for a visit from Canada. It has been at least 10 years since we've seen her. We enjoyed family dinners and McMenamins Edgefield during her visit. Now we have to get our passports in order to visit her up in British Columbia. In June, we went to the Lebanon Strawberry Festival. Henry enjoyed watching the parade and getting candy! After the parade, he got to ride carnival rides for the first time and he loved it. He wasn't into the fireworks that much...too loud and scary. Scary....that's another thing he's been talking about lately. He seems to have reached that age where the dark, monsters, and scary are in his vocabulary. We also went to a real water park - Otter Beach - for the first time in June. Henry loved playing with cousins Scottie, Shane, Izzy, Abby, Blake, and Tatum. He especially loved the kiddie slide. In July we flew to NY for the annual family reunions. The Durdel Reunion was very small this year, but we still had fun celebrating Mema and Baba's 40th Wedding Anniversary. We took off for a mini trip to Rochester mid-week and enjoyed the Strong Children's Museum and visited with Uncle Bill and Denise in Fairport. We also fit in a little geneaology for the Durdel family and visited a cemetery in Oswego, NY. Jackpot...we found gravestones for several Durdel family members. We went to the Enchanted Forest and Water Safari in Old Forge, NY with Aunt Nan, Uncle Andy, Aunt Kelly, and cousins Laurea and Addison. Henry didn't have much fun on the "baby water slide" and soon discovered a bigger slide that he must of went down a hundred times! The Hammel reunion was next up and we enjoyed spending time at camp with extended family. Back in Oregon, we celebrated mommy and grandma's birthdays. Henry received a surprise sandbox from Honey (my aunt Linda). Perfect timing, as her grandkids outgrew it and Henry discovered it one afternoon at her house. He has spend countless hours this summer playing in the sandbox...especially since it has a scoop attached to it! In August, we made a day trip to the beach. We decided to go to a smaller, less touristy town and ended up in Pacific City. Cape Kiwanda State Park happened to be a beach that you can drive your car on and launch dory boats from. It was a very busy day with lots of boats, trucks & trailers, and other vehicles. Even though it was a cloudy day, Henry still put on his trunks and played in the cold Pacific Ocean. In late August we hosted a family picnic for my mom's side of the family...the Morrison's. There were lots of people and I can't thank my Uncle Larry, Cousin Jennie, and my parents for all the help. The next weekend was Labor Day and we ended up camping one night. A cold night + pregnant wife + almost 3 year old + one beagle = James saying that we need to buy a trailer. We'll see if that happens!! I then went back to work and had an emotional morning with Henry as he says "Don't go mommy". Makes you want to stay home and be his mommy full time! The next few days were much easier on both of us. On Henry's birthday, James and I drove up to Seattle to watch his beloved Syracuse Orange against the University of Washington Huskies. We drove to a park and ride, boarded a bus full of Husky fans, and arrived at the game. Great stadium, as it looks out on a lake with tailgating boats. Plus it was a nice sunny day with few clouds...no rain!!! I even wore an SU shirt for James. My grandpa Chet would of rolled over in his grave at the sight of that. He was born and raised in Washington and a Husky fan to his core. We even buried Grandpa Chet in a purple Washington Husky sweatshirt. I'm sure that grandpa was smiling as his Huskies beat the Orange that day. The next day was Henry's 3rd birthday party. This was the first year that he really seemed to understand what his birthday party meant. I asked him what he wanted for his birthday and his response was "a candle and a present". We had a Go Diego Go party theme, as this is one of his favorite cartoons. He loved having all his "friends" at his party - I tried to explain to him that they were cousins. He has enjoyed his new trains, Legos, vehicles, construction trucks, and wheelbarrow. So that is our story up to this point. Henry is growing like a weed, talking in long sentences, and really changing everyday. We can't wait to meet our new little one soon and grow into a family of four.
Winter and Spring 2010
We've had a fun-filled Winter and Spring. We visited the Portland Children's Museum and their Clifford the Big Red Dog exhibit - Henry loved it. In January, we met the Hammel Family in San Francisco for our winter getaway. It was great fun. The kids loved the hotel room's kid suite. The trolley ride was awesome. The Duck Tour was fabulous. We met cousin Shannon at the Wharf and rode a limo (Henry and Jaime's first ride) to dinner that evening. We spent a day at the Monteray Bay Aquarium and then on to have dinner with Aunt Kate and Eric. James, Kelly, and I saw the Broadway play Wicked, while Mema and Baba watched the grandkids. We visited an exploratorium for the kids and saw the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoyed walking the streets downtown and looking for the original Wells Fargo Bank for James. Such a great trip!! Back in Oregon, we ventured back to the zoo and saw the new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. We loved having our Colts in the Superbowl, but were sad that they lost. Henry discovered some cool new movies (to him)...Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Cars. We finally used Aunt Deedee's birthday money and bought Henry a scooter and helmet. Over spring break, my parents rented a beach house for 4 days in South Beach, Oregon. We enjoyed some beautiful weather and playing at Ona Beach State Park in the sand. Henry and his cousin Skylar were sand digging experts. We also enjoyed dinner at the world famous Mo's restuarant (well at least in Oregon) with my cousin Jennie and her son Tristan. My mom took Henry to see the Easter Bunny for the first time. Henry was a little leery, as he wouldn't sit next to the bunny. Easter Sunday, Henry woke up to find his chocolates and Easter presents. His favorite was a Woody character from Toy Story. He immediately looked at us and asked, "Where's Buzz?". I knew I should of bought him! And I did the next day after work :) We enjoyed Easter Dinner and the Big Egg Hunt at my cousin Mandy's house in Lebanon. We had to wear rainboots and coats for the Easter Egg Hunt. My brother Jeff found an egg from last year with rusty money inside it! We never keep track of how many eggs are hidden, so eggs will be found throughout the year. Henry raked in $17 from the egg hunt and was so proud to "count" his coins with Grandpa in the house. Henry is growing up so fast...he is tall, talks a lot, loves Thomas the Train, and Legos. Such a fun boy!!
December 2009
What a busy end of summer, fall, and beginning of winter! We finished up summer going to a water park, visiting the Scandanavian Festival, stopping by the zoo (again), and attending the Oregon State Fair. In September, James' parents, sister, and two nieces came out from NY to celebrate Henry's 2nd birthday. We had a packed week - building a fence (thanks to Jim, James, and Kelly), riding the MAX, visiting the Children's Museum & the Oregon Zoo, and Henry's Birthday Party. Henry had a Winnie the Pooh party theme, complete with a visit from Pooh and Eeyore (thanks Marco and Kristen - such sports on a HOT day). It was a great day with family and fun. In October, we spent the weekend in Bend, Oregon. I had my speech-language conference there and the family came along for a getaway. Henry and James had fun at the park and the High Desert Museum. We finally decided to carve pumpkins with Henry this year - it only took 3 Halloweens for us to do it. At first he just wanted to watch, but quickly decided to join in the icky, sticky fun. No tricking or treating for Henry this year, but he enjoyed the trick-or-treaters at our house. The holiday season came quickly as Thanksgiving blew by and it was time to get ready for Christmas. Henry was a pretty good boy (you know how the terrible two's are) and received lots of toys. He especially likes his tricycle, trains, Syracuse balls, and electronic dinosaur. Of course the best part was spending time with family and enjoying the great food. Looking forward to ringing in the New Year and meeting up with James' family in San Francisco in January!
July 2009
The month of family reunions....3 in all. Two of them were in conjuction with our annual trip back to NY to see James' family. The first weekend was spent with the Durdel family. It was great seeing them all. It is a smaller group, but just as loud and fun. Uncle Bill's firework show was amazing as usual - we don't have those kind of fireworks in Oregon! Too bad it rained for a majority of it. During the first reunion, our niece Addison (10 months old) got the chicken pox! Kids just don't get it nowadays since the chicken pox shot was introduced. In the week between the reunions, we spent a day in Syracuse getting loaded up on SU gear for James and Henry. Pat bought me my first Vera Bradley piece for my birthday as well - I'm hooked now! In Baldwinsville, we visited two cemeteries - where James' grandparents are buried. He hadn't been there since both grandpa's had passed away. Again, I was in geneaology heaven! The Hammel reunion was next up, complete with thunderstorms and more rain. It was a much larger group of people, but just as fun. We barely got the Cornhole Tournament finished, and even at that it was rushed at the end as the storm came upon us. We even lost power for a minute or two. Unfortunately, due to the weather, we weren't able to spend as much time down on the docks as we normally do. Hopefully it will be better weather next year! The final reunion was my mom's side of the family back in Oregon. It was held right in Canby, which was nice for us! There were a lot of people we didn't know as most of the people there had great-great grandparents or great-great-great grandparents in common (very distant relatives). So we've had a very busy July and hope that August is more slow and relaxing - I've gotta get rested up for the start of school in September!
May-June 2009
We've had a busy late spring/early summer! Memorial day was spent in Yacolt, WA where my grandpa grew up. Its always amazing to see the house that he lived in as a little boy. We also stopped at the cemetery - where his parents, brother, and two sisters are buried. Then on to a cemetery in Portland, for my mom's grandparents and her uncle. I know its weird, but I enjoy cemeteries because of my interest in geneaology. The following weekend we were back up to Washington to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of my great uncle and aunt. We stopped at the replica of Stonehenge in Maryhill, WA - at the same time that a mini-cooper club was there! June was the Strawberry Festival in Lebanon and the end of school for me. Uncle Scott drove the fire truck in the parade and my dad was in the passenger seat. My niece and nephew were in the back seat. Grandpa was calling Henry's name on the fire engine's loud speaker, but Henry didn't really understand it. My mom was also in the parade with her Red Hat group. At times, being at home with Henry full-time is busier than my real job - but I love the opportunity to spend so much time with him. He continues to talk up a storm and is really starting to imitate words that we say. He is trying to jump off the ground and it is so cute to watch him.
May 2009
What a spring we've had. Henry is starting to talk more. His favorite things to say are animal sounds, taco, woah, hush, and ut oh. He is really becoming a toddler - independent and naughty. Henry has a time-out place where he goes for a minute at a time. He used to go and sit quietly on the step, but now he goes over there, acts like he's going to sit, and then stands up with a look like "what are you going to do about it?" - the joys of parenthood! But don't get me wrong, he does have his really sweet moments too. Now that the weather is nicer, he loves exploring in the backyard and always looks for his small rake to drag around. We enjoyed Easter with the Wilkerson's in Lebanon. It was a wet day, but we enjoyed his first egg hunt (although he didn't really understand the purpose of it). We went to the zoo again in April and ran into my cousin Marco, his girlfriend Kristen, and their daughters Abby and Izzy. It was a great surprise! We got a visit from my Aunt Linda, cousin Mandy, and her kids - Tatum and Blake. They were the first to see his new haircut! Oh yeah...the haircut. We took Henry to a local barber. James and I never discussed what the haircut would be - I figured it'd just be a normal boy haircut. I had to run out to the car for something and came back in to see the clippers shaving his hair! I about died, but I keep my mouth shut to be polite to the barber. I glared at James everytime he made eye contact with me. I was furious - he was so in the doghouse! But I'll admit that its starting to grow on me. He does like to wear his hat, so I made him wear it constantly for several days after. The buzz cut makes him look much older! On Mother's Day we drove down to Lebanon for a BBQ. Grandpa loved the haircut (see pictures below and you'll know why). Henry especially enjoyed the trampoline with his cousin Shane. I had a great Mother's Day! Henry and Barkley gave me two miniature rosebushes and replaced a Willow Tree figure that Henry broke. I only have 5 weeks of school left and am looking forward to summer!
March 2009
Oh how I love the weather in March. Rainy, cold, sunny, warm - all in one day no less. We are very excited for warmer weather, so we can take trips to the park and go on walks. There is a great playground in town that has two sections - one for older kids and one for younger kids. It has a baby swing that Henry adores. Plus the ground is padded and cushiony so if he falls, it doesn't hurt. We celebrated Uncle Scott's 40th birthday at the bowling alley in Lebanon. What a great place for a birthday party - appropriate for a variety of ages. Henry loved being around his cousins and family. He gets to be quite a clown in a group of kids - dancing, laughing, and "talking". Henry had his 18th month checkup this month. We filled out an ages and stages questionnaire about his skills in the areas of motor, social, communication, problem solving, hearing - the pediatrician said that he appears to be developing on target. He is almost 35 inches tall (above the 95th percentile) and weighs 25 pounds (50th percentile). The doctor said that at age 2, we can double his height to estimate how tall he'll be as an adult. She's guessing that he'll easily be over 6 foot. Jaime had her spring break during March, so Henry got to spend a lot of time with Mommy. It was fun having special time with him. He is very active and curious about everything. Cousins Scottie and Shane spent a few nights during spring break with us. Henry adores his cousins and loves playing with them.
Winter 2009 - January and February
Henry got his first haircut in January at a children's hair salon. He sat in a car and watched a movie on the small tv in front of him - great distractor. Then two days later the poor little guy got very sick with the flu. Two days after that, James and I got sick at the exact same moment after we laid down in bed after a long day! Thankfully Grandma Cheryl was here to help out with all the sickies. On February 14th we went down to Salem to celebrate Oregon's 150th birthday on the grounds of the capitol. It was busy with demonstrations, exhibits, and choirs. Unfortunately, we missed the free hotdogs and the line for the cake was way too long. The grounds of the capitol have changed for the better since I took a field trip there in 4th grade! In February, we also visited the zoo yet again. Henry loves the zoo and all the animals - he makes an elephant sound, says "ow" for lion, "ah" for monkey, and "ba" for sheep - the Oregon Zoo has a farm area. He got to take his first zoo train ride. Grandpa came up the next weekend and visited. Henry has gotten over his "grandpa shyness" and loved spending time playing and hanging out with Grandpa. That night James had an appointment at the sleep clinic. Henry was out of sorts without his daddy around for his bath and bedtime routine. He cried during the bath and missed Daddy and Mommy's tag team bed routine. He was very happy when daddy came home Sunday morning.
What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas...
A huge thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Hammel for planning an extended weekend in Las Vegas. We stayed at The Venetian Hotel on the strip. G & G Hammel, Kelly, Laurea, and baby Addison flew in from New York, Corina & Logan came from Montana, and we were the last to arrive from Oregon. It was so great meeting everyone for a fun-filled 4 day mini vacation. Aunt DD and Cal even joined us for a few days - they flew in from Florida. We were welcomed with sunny skies and 70 degree days - in the heart of winter no less! We enjoyed kid friendly attractions - Siefried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage, the Lied Children's Museum, and The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. Grandma, Kelly, James, Henry, and I even ventured out one warm night and walked (and walked and walked) to the Bellagio to watch the water show. James, Kelly, Corina, and I attended The Phantom of the Opera one evening and loved it - thanks G & G Hammel for babysitting all the little ones! Another evening, Grandpa, Grandma, Kelly, and I were tapping along at The Jersey Boys broadway show about Frankie Valli and the 4 seasons! We also enjoyed relaxing in the amazing hotel rooms and visiting. Henry loved having all the kids around. I think he and Logan are going to be great buddies! We were so sad to leave, but agreed that we must take mini-vacations every few years.
Ringing in the New Year
We ended 2008 eating Chinese food at Bing's in Lebanon with my parents, brothers, and their families. I got to see a good friend from high school at the restaurant (her family owns it). It was great catching up with Mercedes and then another high school friend showed up - it was like a class reunion! James, Henry, and I spent the rest of the evening at Dani and Bobby's ringing in 2009 with the Wilkerson family. Henry has started the funniest obsession with the vacuum! He loves to go visit the vacuum in the closet. He'll touch it and "talk" all about it. He even uses objects to vacuum the floor - he makes the vacuum sound and will move around the floor moving things, vacuuming under things, and even gets into the corners! The other day, I gave him the vacuum hose and let him vacuum for real - he was in heaven and so proud!
Christmas
Christmas is starting to get more fun with Henry. He loves the lights and trees. He recognizes Santa, but was absolutely scared of him. Poor guy, but I think most of us have one picture of a child crying in Santa's lap. Henry was great at opening presents and really enjoyed his toys/books. Everytime he opened a book, he immediately sat in our lap and wanted to read it. Luckily, James and I decided to go light on the presents, because it took him a while to open each one and then he had to play with it! We were unable to make it down for Christmas Eve with Jaime's family because of the road conditions - we attempted it but turned back and watched "A Christmas Story" at home. We decided to go down Christmas Day no matter what! As we were leaving town, we got behind a snow plow convoy and they did make the roads better. My hat is off to those guys working hard on Christmas, when they should of been with their families. Many thanks to those of you who thought of Henry on Christmas. We also enjoyed all those cards. We are looking forward to the New Year and the Vegas Vacation with James' parents, sister, nieces, and friend Corina (and her son).
Artic Blast 2008
We were hit with several storms over the course of 10 days and had temperatures in the 20's. We got a total of 10 inches in Canby - which is unheard of. I was able to get 3 weeks off this year for our winter break, because school was cancelled one whole week due to snow and icy roads. Henry liked the "do" (snow), but he didn't really like walking in it with his new snow boots, snow pants, and big coat. Oregon is nothing like upstate NY when it comes to removing snow. The OR Dept. of Transportation won't consider salt on the roads, because its not environmentally safe, causes rust, and there's not enough snow from year to year to justify its use. They use chemical de-icer and gravel - we have the chips in our windshields to prove it! The Portland Metro area almost came to a stand still and people were told not to travel unless it was necessary. Many companies either cancelled their work day or had late starts. All roads were snow-packed at first and eventually major highways were cleared after several days, but the side streets were still awful. Our street still has icy patches and we often have to try 1-2 times to get into our driveway (its like a 10 degree angle). Now its a slushy mess with ice patches here and there. Most people and businesses don't own snow shovels/plows/etc, so sidewalks and parking lots are dangerous and slow going. Our city doesn't own a snow plow - we saw a front loader moving the snow (and that's only on the main highway that goes through town). Most cities around us have 1-2, with Portland having the most. The plows from the mountains had to come down to the valley and help with the removal. James laughs at the jobs they do! We need about 500 Uncle Andy's (James' uncle in NY) with plows to get it cleaned up. Now the weathermen say we might have some flooding...go figure. I was walking in 2 inches of slushy water today at the mall parking lot.
November/December 2008
Henry has quickly moved from walking to running. He is also starting to walk backwards and twirl in circles, which he finds absolutely hilarious. Our little monkey has also started climbing on and off the couch. Henry likes to stand behind the door and shut it as you walk up to him. He has started to "hide" and loves it when we find him. Henry is now starting to dance/bouce to music - it is so funny to watch him. He is starting to say a few words, uses a few signs, but overall he is not a big talker. He's more of a mover and a shaker at this point.
We enjoyed Thanksgiving with family and Henry loved being around all the kids. We also visited the Oregon Zoo a few more times in December. Henry loves all the animals and was awestruck by the Zoo Lights - the entire zoo is lit up with thousands of lights.
Happy Fall
We ended September attending more of cousin Shane's football games and also got to watch cousin Scottie's soccer game. Henry loves his older cousins! Henry started taking a step here and a step there in the beginning of October. And today, he officially walked several steps in a row! Grandma gave him an Oregon State Beavers baseball hat and he was very occupied by the hat on his head - so much that he just took off and walked all around the living room. We all clapped for him, said yeah, and even Barkley joined in by barking. Henry squealed in delight as he was walking! He still likes to plop down on the ground after a few steps and crawl, but I think he's discovered a new way of moving about. James will be leaving for NY next week to attend Addison's (our niece) christening, as he has been asked to be her godfather. Henry and I wish we could go, but are unable to. Looking forward to the rest of the fall season!
Henry's First Birthday
What fun we had! Henry's actual birthday was on Thursday. So Gramma Wilkerson, Daddy, and Mommy went to a Mexican restaurant. After dinner they brought out a mini sombrero and placed it on Henry and sang to him in Spanish! When we got home, Henry had his first birthday cake. He seemed to enjoy the pom-pom like decoration on the cake more than the chocolate frosting. On Saturday we had a farm party for Henry - complete with a pig pen, duck pond, and straw-play area (see pictures below). Henry enjoyed those pink piggies - as did all the other kids! Henry again was very cautious with his cake. In fact, he fussed when the frosting got on his arm and never tasted it. He did enjoy the presents - squealing when he saw them, wanting to play with the toys, and looking for the toys as I set them aside. He received 3 Fisher-Price Farms! (Funny - because I actually thought about getting it as well as his Aunt Kelly - that would of been 5). Luckily, we were able to exchange two of them and get more pieces to the Farm set - an outbuilding with 3 animals and the tractor. Henry absolutely loves the farm animals and will hold each one up and say "da", as we name them. He is thoroughly enjoying all his big boy toys received that day and just rotates through them all during the day. We can't believe our little man is one! We are so excited to see what he learns and does next!
September 2008
What a September its been! We started out the month going back to the Oregon Zoo to see the baby elephant. He was such a cute little guy - worth the 30 minute wait to see him. Henry had his one-year old check up on his birthday. He weighed in at 21 pounds and is 31 inches long - still a tall skinny boy! Henry is now cruising all over the furniture and beginning to let go and stand by himself. He is a good eater and loves to give food bites to Barkley. He'll eat a bite and then throw the next one to Barkley - already learning to share! Henry has a few words - da (dog), du (duck), dawah (star). We think he's said dada a few times - but no mama. When James comes home from work - Henry screams and crawls lightening fast to daddy. Henry loves all the kids in the family and is slowly getting over his stranger danger with the adults. Henry attended his second football game, watching his older cousin Shane play. Go Lebanon Giants!
August in Review
We've had a busy end of the summer! In early August, we took Henry to the Oregon Coast - Lincoln City for the first time. It was very windy and cool. Henry didn't really like the sand or the wind! He did seem to enjoy lunch at the famous Mo's restaurant. Later in August, we went to the Oregon State Fair. Henry enjoyed all the farm animals and played his first carnival game - picking a duck out of the pool with daddy's help. We introduced Henry to the famous scones and the Dairy Wives of Oregon ice cream! At the end of August we had our annual Labor Day campout in the horse pasture at Mandy and Joe's! We stayed in a tent and Henry got cold and ended up sleeping with us. We enjoyed a bridal shower and Tatum/Blake's birthday during the campout. In addition, we found out great news! We became an uncle, aunt, and cousin again! James' sister, Kelly, delivered baby Addison Hammel D'Arpino on August 31st. We can't wait to meet her!
